INNOLAS LASER GMBH

Their core work

InnoLas Laser is a German SME based near Munich that designs and manufactures advanced laser systems for industrial and scientific applications. Their H2020 portfolio shows they supply specialized laser and optical components across diverse sectors — from interference lithography for nanoscale fabrication, to lidar instruments for atmospheric monitoring, to biophotonic imaging systems for biomedical research. They function as a precision laser technology provider that adapts their core competence to the specific measurement and fabrication needs of each project consortium.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

InnoLas Laser's early H2020 projects (2017) addressed manufacturing and aerospace applications — nanoscale lithography (NanoStencil) and composite testing for aviation (ACCURATE). From 2019 onward, they pivoted toward sensing and biomedical optics, with LEMON targeting atmospheric lidar for greenhouse gas monitoring and REAP entering the biomedical imaging space with optical coherence tomography and photoacoustic imaging. This trajectory shows a company moving from fabrication-oriented laser applications toward measurement and diagnostics, particularly in environmental and health domains.

InnoLas is shifting from manufacturing-oriented laser applications toward diagnostic and sensing instruments in environment and health — future partners should expect expertise in precision optical measurement systems.

How they like to work

InnoLas operates exclusively as a participant, never as coordinator — consistent with their role as a specialized technology supplier that brings laser hardware into larger research consortia. With 22 unique partners across 10 countries from just 4 projects, they work in medium-to-large consortia and do not appear to repeat partners, suggesting they are sought out by different communities for their specific laser capabilities rather than operating within a fixed network.

InnoLas has collaborated with 22 distinct partners across 10 countries through 4 projects, indicating broad European reach for a small company. Their partnerships span aerospace (Clean Sky), environmental monitoring, fundamental research, and biomedical optics communities — an unusually diverse network for an SME.

What sets them apart

InnoLas occupies a distinctive niche as a laser SME that bridges multiple application domains — few companies can credibly contribute to aerospace testing, atmospheric lidar, nanofabrication, and biomedical imaging from a single technology base. Their value to consortia lies in providing custom laser sources and optical subsystems tailored to each project's specific requirements. For consortium builders, they offer a rare combination: deep laser engineering expertise with demonstrated flexibility to adapt across sectors.

Highlights from their portfolio

• REAP
  Represents InnoLas's newest direction — applying laser expertise to cancer research through optical coherence tomography and photoacoustic imaging, a significant pivot from their industrial roots.
• LEMON
  Directly addresses climate monitoring by building a lidar instrument for greenhouse gas measurement, with explicit TRL advancement goals showing the company's push toward market-ready sensing products.
• NanoStencil
  Largest single EC contribution (EUR 560K) and demonstrates InnoLas's capability in precision interference lithography at the nanoscale — their most fundamental-research-oriented project.